Two people were taken into police custody after a police officer was beaten during a demonstration by secondary school students in Belfort, franceinfo reports. The detentions followed what Le Figaro described as blows to the head and "rare violence" during the incident.
The case has since widened. According to Orange Actualités, a student who was arrested has filed a complaint alleging attempted murder. RTL reported that the student's lawyer said on air that his client's head was held under water, and that the lawyer announced a complaint for "tentative de meurtre." Ouest-France reported that two minors are being pursued for aggravated violence in connection with the officer's beating.
The events unfolded on the margins of a lycée protest, part of the school blockades referenced in the coverage. French outlets have reported the sequence differently depending on which side they focus on: the assault on the officer and the custody measures on one hand, and the student's counter-complaint on the other.
The exact circumstances, including what led to the officer being struck and how the student was injured, have not been fully established in the material available. franceinfo, Le Figaro, RTL, Orange Actualités and Ouest-France have each reported parts of the account, but no single outlet's version has been confirmed as complete.
Investigators are expected to continue examining both the officer's assault and the student's attempted murder complaint. Further details on the custody outcomes and any charges are likely to emerge as the inquiry proceeds.
